A Changing Mind
by Teddy K Collins
Summary: ONE SHOT: Kurt hates the shoulder strap on seatbelts.


**Summary**: Kurt hates the shoulder strap on seatbelts.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing. If I did I would be a very wealthy lady, which I'm not. I don't even own my computer. I have to share with my sis.

**A/N:** I did my research on this.

Kurt hates the shoulder strap. When he drives he always tucks the strap underneath his left arm, because Kurt isn't stupid enough to not wear a seat belt(His mother did die in a car accident). Kurt knows that maybe he should wear his seatbelt properly but he hates the feeling of the rough material biting into his neck and shoulder, so he shoves it aside.

After a New Directions performance Puck offers Finn and Kurt a ride home. Rachel and Mike join them(Mike's car is in the garage after some idiot backed into it and Rachel's dads are uncomfortable with her driving after dark, otherwise she would've driven herself home. Her and Noah get along pretty well now, but hey, she likes asserting her independance).

Kurt jumps in the back with Mike and Finn(Rachel calls shotgun as soon as they are in sight of the car), and seizes the opportunity to take the middle seat. At least the middle seat just has a lap belt.

On the way home Rachel turns on the radio and Puck groans expecting some of her show tunes crap. Everyone is surprised when she flicks through the stations, past all the show tune-y garbage, until she finds something actually decent: Mariana's Trench. The five of them sing along to the words of Celebrity Status, laughing when Rachel says 'ass'("What? It's a lyric Noah!"). Everything was going great. The five of them actually got along, of course Mike and Rachel had been friends forever and she had gotten over the awkward post-breakup phase with Finn. Kurt and Finn acted like brothers and Puck had really mellowed out after Beth's birth(and adoption), having taken that time to re-evaluate his life.

Puck slowed and came to a stop at a red light at which time Rachel announced that her father's had allowed her to host a pool party the following week at her house. The light turned green, Puck signalled, then turned right, in the direction of both Kurt's and Finn's house, and Rachel's, who only lived a street over from Kurt.

Things happened so fast at that point, someone screamed(Rachel), the car jolted, glass rained down and Kurt slammed forward striking his head off the console between the front seats, before completely losing consciousness.

Kurt came to on the ambulance, only to look left and see Mike, bruised and battered, beside him, still out cold. At the hospital the doctors cleaned and stitched a gash near Kurt's hairline(thank God for that, at least he could hide the scar in his hair) and told Kurt to take it easy. Concussions were serious business and they wanted to keep him overnight for observation. Burt arrived 10 minutes later, relieved that Kurt was more or less alright, telling him that Carole had gone to check on Finn. Turns out Finn had a broken collar bone and a large bump on his head from hitting the window(he thinks, Finn doesn't remember what he hit his head on), but he also had to stay for observation. Turns out Mike, Rachel and Puck were in worse condition. Rachel had numerous cuts from falling glass and had lost a lot of blood. She came round after a few hours. Mike had to have his spleen removed and had dislocated his shoulder on impact. He had flat lined during surgery, but 3 days later had regained consiousness. Puck was in the worst condition, having been nearest the point of impact. He had an injury called flail chest, having broken 3 ribs in 2 or more places. He was whisked into surgery to reconstruct the broken ribs and was currently on life support. He spent 3 days on life support, 8 days unconcious, and 18 days in intensive care.

Kurt learned later that same night(Burt having heard from Puck's mother), that Puck's airbag had deployed, which had more than likely caused the injury, but also that Puck had the shoulder strap tucked underneath his left arm. If he had been wearing his seatbelt properly he might have come out better off.

The next morning when both Finn and Kurt were released, Burt and Carole came to pick them up. Kurt climbed into the back, behind the drivers seat and buckled his seatbelt letting the shoudler strap rest where it should be. On his shoulder.

Kurt likes the shoulder strap now.


End file.
